The Other Side Of The Coin
by Actual-Grendel
Summary: The Winter War is over, but the battle has just begun. Who will stay true to their beliefs and flip to tails, or stay on heads for that which binds them?


_The Other Side Of The Coin_

_Chapter One_

"GOOD MORNING ICHIGOOOO-OMPH!"

"Morning, Keigo" Ichigo Kurosaki replied wearily, bringing his arm down from a clothesline position.

"Good morning Ichigo, Kuchiki-san" Kojima Mizuiro announced, looking down at his phone's screen, quickly replying to one of his text messages. Most likely another one of his many older girlfriends. He walked over the back of his 'friend', Asano Keigo, ignoring the boy's screams of hurt and reject.

"Yo." Ichigo said, while Rukia opted for the more formal "Ohayo, Kojima-kun!"

Leaving the 'comfort' of the classroom's doorway, Ichigo and Rukia made their way over to their desks. Ichigo sat down and rested his head down onto the desk, facing Rukia. She sat on her desk (conveniently to the left of his own), legs dangling over the edge, fully facing her counterpart.

Inoue Orihime walked into the classroom, waving a "Good morning!" to Uryuu Ishida. She was about to make her way over to Ichigo and say good morning to him as well, but stopped herself at what was laid in front of her. She saw him and Rukia having a conversation – albeit, a silent one. They weren't talking, but she could tell with the way that they looked at each other, that they didn't need to speak to understand each other. After masking her disappointment and jealousy that was making its way towards her face, she voiced an "Ohayo!" to Tatsuki, who waved back in response, and proceeded to sit down.

"Everybody get into their seats and shut up! Kay, we have a new student, please come in!" Ochi-sensei yelled, once her class looked presentable to the unknown.

Only, this wasn't the first time the 'new student' had been in this classroom. As the student walked in, Ichigo glanced up. He immediately nudged Rukia's arm, who was preoccupied with whatever she was . . . 'drawing'. Looking up, she dropped the pencil crayon in her hand instantly, letting it drop to the floor. Orihime quietly gasped, which Tatsuki looked at her oddly for, but not saying anything. She was just as interested in the new kid as everybody was. Ishida pushed his glasses more onto his face surreptitiously, wondering why this kid was even here in the same room as him in the first place.

"Kuchiki, you okay? Pick up your pencil!"

"Wha?- Oh, yes, ma'am!" Rukia flustered picking up her drawing utensil instantly, trying to make herself less noticeable.

"What is _he_ doing here?" Rukia murmured once seated, loud enough that Ichigo was the only one to hear it.

"I don't-" Ichigo's reply was cut short, with the new student's introduction.

"Hello! My name is Hirako Shinji. I am _sooooo_ glad to meet all of you!" Shinji then bowed, never letting his smile falter for an instant.

"Hirako-san, why don't you take the empty seat in front of Rukia Kuchiki? Kuchiki, please raise your hand!"

Rukia blinked, her deep violet orbs staring at Shinji, showing nothing but surprised. Shinji held a chuckle in his throat, amused by her facial reaction. He bounced his way over to his new seat, despite Rukia not raising her hand. Right before he turned to sit down, Shinji locked into Ichigo's amber eyes. The look in Shinji's eyes did not go unnoticed by the strawberry. He turned his Cheshire smile into a grim frown which matched the emotions burning behind his yellow-hued eyes:

_We need to talk._

X X X X X X

"Have a good lunch, and be back here on time, you delinquents!" Ochi-sensei called out to her students while she ran through the door out into the hallway, most likely trying to get to the teacher's lounge first. The bell then rang, signifying that the period had ended. As students were getting out of their seats to find friends to sit with, Shinji turned to Ichigo.

He quickly pressed something small into Ichigo's palm. "Put this on and follow me." Shinji said in a quiet, grave tone. Ichigo opened his hand to reveal a shiny silver ring. He noticed it had the same skull design crested into the top of the metal as his Substitute Shinigami Badge. He also realized that the creation was made from red rubies, and deep blue sapphires. '_God, this must cost a fortune! Well what else should I expect, he and the others have had years to save up, for whatever this ring is used for.'_

Ichigo then stood up and briskly walked out after Shinji. Rukia followed suit and started to follow, but Ichigo held up his hand, stopping her next to her desk. His back was to her, missing the look of surprise on the petite shinigami's face.

"No, Rukia. This is between us. Just go have lunch with everybody else, and tell them some bullshit story about why I'm not there. Only if they ask, but I'm sure they will."

"But Ichigo -"

Said teenager proceeded to turn around, locking his eyes with hers, explaining as best he could silently through their gaze just how important this conversation would be. Rukia just nodded silently, showing him that she understood perfectly, and would follow his orders. Giving a resigned sigh and a slight wave with a loose hand, she watched him put on the ring and leave into the hallway. Of course she understood perfectly – her acquiescing to him did not mean she had to like it.

Rukia blinked in surprise at the empty doorway. '_That ring can hide reiatsu! Shinji sure didn't want me to follow them, that jerk. I'll just have to trust Ichigo, and pray that he tells me about it once we get home.' _ That started her wondering on another subject – Since when did she call Ichigo's house _her _home? Rukia pondered for only a moment more, before noticing she was almost the only one left in the classroom. _'I must silly, just standing here by myself!'_ She gathered her lunch and made her way outside, to one of the biggest trees on the school's property. _'The weather is so nice today. I'm glad we aren't all stuffy inside.'_

X X X X X X

Shinji quickly and quietly walked up to the roof, and put up a barrier once Ichigo followed through, disallowing anybody else to come up. "Not as strong as Hachi's would have been, but it will serve its purpose." Shinji explained, before turning around to the look at the orange haired teen, slight happiness glinting in his eyes.

"Shinji." Ichigo nodded.

"Ichigo." Shinji nodded back.

There was a pause, until they both moved at the same time. The boys walked up and shook hands, pulling close to wrap one arm around each other and firmly pat each other on the back. They released, and stood back a couple feet, giving each other enough distance to view both the other fully, and their surroundings.

"Sorry I can't say I'm ecstatic to see you," Ichigo joked lamely, with a hint of seriousness hiding in the back of his voice.

"Oh, I'm hurt." Shinji rolled his eyes sarcastically. "It's only been a few weeks, you know that."

"Yeah, I do. That's what I'm worried about..."

A silence covered the roof, as Ichigo looked at Shinji, seemingly to try and guess why he was at his school again in the first place. He tried to hide his anxiety, but still he shifted his weight back and forth while clenching his hands in his pockets. Trying to find words was never easy for Ichigo, but this time he couldn't stand to wait any longer. In a voice just above a whisper, Ichigo strained, "Please tell me good news..."

"Lisa has started to cut down on her porn."

"Really? That so?" Ichigo replied rolling his eyes, eyebrow raised. He didn't believe him.

"No. I'm just trying to lighten the mood." The exiled Fifth Captain too rolled his eyes sarcastically, for the second time in under a minute.

"Of course you are. Nobody can stop Lisa. That was just a bad attempt at a joke." Ichigo dragged a hand down his face slowly, trying to calm, and most importantly steel himself down for what was going to come out of Shinji's mouth next.

X X X X X X

"Hey everybody!" Rukia called over to the group as she sat down. 'The Group' consisted of Asano Keigo, Kojima Mizuiro, Arisawa Tatsuki, Orihime Inoue, Ishida Uryuu, the now presented Kuchiki Rukia, and the currently missing Kurosaki Ichigo. Occasionally Honda Chizuru joined up with them, and the stray Abarai Renji. Renji would stop by posed as Ichigo's cousin, but actually came to update Rukia on all the happenings and going-on in Soul Society. Since Aizen's defeat, Rukia had been stationed to stay in the World of the Living, on orders from Ukitake. 'To help keep your ass out of trouble, since nobody can lend you a hand anymore', as Rukia put it. '_It seems that the red-headed lesbian isn't here'_, Rukia noticed, pleasantly relieved.

"Hey, Kuchiki. Where's Ichigo?" Tatsuki asked, not eying the orange ball of spiked hair anywhere behind her short friend.

"Oh, he's showing Hirako-san around the school, since he's new and all," Rukia replied, forcefully smiling at everyone.

"Oh, okay," Tasuki said, dismissing the subject.

_'Good, they seem to have believed it.'_ Rukia sighed in silent joy as everybody started digging into their own meal. Only Uryuu gave Rukia a skeptical eyebrow and muttered "Oh really. . ." loud enough for only Rukia to hear. Said female cringed at the words. Giving the Quincy a look signifying she had no idea either what was going on, but would find out and inform him later, gave him little relief, but relief nonetheless. He did understand her need of dropping the subject, though, and so he complied with a nodding of his head and going back to the conversation at hand – Orihime's 'cuisine'.

"But my red-bean paste and peanut butter sandwich is _sooooo_ delicious! Don't you think so Tatsuki? I have enough for everybody!" Orihime cheered.

"No, 'Hime, we have our own lunches, you eat yours too."

"If you say so. . ." Orihime said, voice dripping with disappointment.

Everybody swallowed the awaiting bile in their throats back down with relief.

Rukia chuckled silently to herself, seeing her friends go through their almost-daily routine – discuss Orihime's eating habits, bash Keigo, throw Chizuru off of any girl's chest she lashes on to, bash Keigo, etc. But she couldn't help but feel the forebodingness of the situation. _'Whether it's because of Shinji's presence or not, this feels like one of the last times I'll eat lunch like this."_ The raven-haired girl glanced at the roof, showing a longing in her eyes nobody could see. Although Rukia couldn't feel his reiatsu, she knew that the Strawberry was up there.

_'Ichigo...'_

X X X X X X

Shinji dragged his hand through his straight-blonde bob, preparing himself for Ichigo's outburst and onslaught of questions. "I need you to be calm, and think things through wisely. Got it?"

Ichigo nodded. He braced himself for whatever news was coming his way.

"Rose was attacked."

Amber orbs blinked, emotions passing by each other, all pushing up front, before being hidden by a calm and serious facade – surprise, doubtfulness, worry, and. . .Hatred? Anger? Those emotions passed through too quickly for Shinji to be positive. "Say that again, Shinji."

"Rose was attacked yesterday, Tuesday evening, during the hollow attack you and Rukia-chan took care of. Quite proficiently, might I add."

"Stop changing the subject, asshole."

Shinji went on with explaining the event, ignoring the name-calling. "Anyways, Love and Rose were out getting dinner, it was their turn this week. To be on the safe side, Rose stayed outside while Love went in to whatever store they were at. Then he was attacked."

Ichigo waited for Shinji to go on, but he didn't. Long inappropriate pauses didn't suite Ichigo well. "Spit it out already, Shinji. _Who attacked Rose?"_

The blonde stiffened slightly at how demanding and. . . . needing? Ichigo's voice sounded. _'Brace yourself for impact, Shinji,'_ He thought to himself. "Soul Society did."

Amber eyes were drained of whatever sparkling color they had, and left a dismal brown lake of muck in its wake. They widened, showing Shinji the young boy's emotions once more – disbelief, and – anger? - Once more before he shut them away again. Seeing Ichigo not act out let Shinji resume again.

"More specifically, Soi-Fon, most likely under the old man's orders. She brought ten of her best Secret Corps. Shinigami and five top-class Kido Corps. members along with her. Love was trapped in a kekkai, while the shinigami tried to off Rose. Both were caught off-guard by the attack, and couldn't materialize their swords fast enough – especially because of all the humans that were there also. The shinigami were a piece of cake to injure in hand-to-hand combat, but Soi-Fon is quite a little demon in that area, as you know. By the time Love could break the kekkai and immobilize the Kido Corps. members, Rose was already taking some hard blows. Soi-Fon knew she couldn't defeat them both, as she was tired herself, and fled with her group back into a Senkaimon."

Ichigo stared blankly, deep in thought about what Shinji has just confessed to him. After getting a list of questions compiled in his mind from most to least important, he opened his mouth, but Shinji interrupted the teenager.

"Hachi is healing Rose steadily; he should be back to full strength sometime this weekend. Love got minor wounds, if any, and is already better."

_'Good,' _thought Ichigo, sighing inwardly._ 'That was going to be my first question too.'_ "That's good," Ichigo replied outwardly to the update he was given.

"Ichigo, I hope you do know what this means." Shinji spoke gravely.

"Yeah, I do." Ichigo answered remorsefully. "I just wish this peace wasn't so. . . ephemeral."

"True, longer-lasting calmness would be nice. Doesn't always go the way we want though, does it?"

"Yeah. Life seems to want to ruin me all the time," Ichigo kid macabrely. He couldn't hide the somber tone in his voice, try all he wants.

Ichigo sat down onto the roof, hands lying helplessly on the floor beside him. He looked up into the sky, up to Soul Society. Ichigo knew of course that wasn't where 'Heaven' was, since he has been there many times beforehand, but the metaphor made perfect sense to Shinji, standing next to him. The bobbed man looked up as well, hands deep in the school uniform's grey pants pockets.

"So... Soul Society is going to wage war on the Vaizards, eh?"

Shinji's voice, Ichigo noticed, had a hardened yet resigned tone to it. He could understand perfectly, even though he wasn't looking at him. "Yeah. They are."

X X X X X X

**[A/N]: Many thanks to Rikki, my lovely beta. :D I'd had this written this back in September 2009, and then revised back in like, November or December of that year. I wrote this probably... Back in August 2010? And now I'm finally getting it up, because I don't want to procrastinate it any more. I'll have to let you know though, I really wanted to put the past and let you all know how the battle ended, but I haven't really thought up all of it yet, so you'll probably have to wait a long bit until I get another chapter up. Hopefully Chapter 3 will follow swiftly after, though!**


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